"If there is an app for that"

Card Thief

Arnold Rauers

Visually, Miracle Merchant falls in line with Rauers’ previous games and has the scrawny, hand-drawn cartoon art style. It always reminds me of cartoons like “Adventure Time” and “Regular Show,” which isn’t a bad thing in my opinion. The colors are bright and vivid, though you have some darker and more morbid ingredient cards too. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no lag on my iPhone 7. The game also has a soothing ambient soundtrack that is delightful to listen to, as well as some great card shuffling sound effects. Once again, Rauers has another fantastic hit on his hands.

In Miracle Merchant, there’s only one game mode, but that’s all you need. There’s also no extras, such as shops or upgrades, so all of the focus is on the gameplay itself. The gist of Miracle Merchant is that you are the owner of a potion shop, and you have to fulfill customer orders by combining ingredient cards. There are a ton of different potions to discover and create, with the results always dependent on the order in which you lay out the ingredients themselves.

Each round consists of you filling orders until you’ve cleared out the ingredient cards (you win) or you fail to get an order correct (you lose). so how do you play Miracle Merchant?

Along the bottom will be four stacks of cards, which represent colored ingredients. Customers come in with a required ingredient color (top speech bubble), and then tell you their favorite ingredient color (bottom speech bubble). To create a potion, you need to include at least the required ingredient, their favorite for a bonus, and then two more, as all potions need four ingredients to make.

However, there’s more to Miracle Merchant than meets the eye. On each card, you may see another color in the bottom corners, or even in the center. If it’s in the corners, you get a bonus if you place that indicated color next to that card on the specified side. When it’s along the bottom, that means you get the bonus as long as that color’s included in the combination.

In addition to the colored ingredients, there are evil ones too, which are black cards that may appear in any of the ingredient card stacks. Fortunately, some customers want these sketchy ingredients in their potions, and it’s easy to spot because of the black speech bubble with the star in it.

Each card features a number in the top corner as well. This number represents the value that the ingredient is worth. For a potion to be viable, it needs a value of at least one in order to count — anything less and it’s considered too weak. Customers won’t take these weak potions, thus ending the game. You’ll have to be careful with the evil ingredients though, because they have negative values, so balance it out with other high value ingredients. Having two like-colored ingredients next to each other nets you a “twin” bonus, so keep that in mind.

If there’s a customer that comes in and you are unable to fulfill their order because the ingredients aren’t available, then use the “boot” button to move them to the end of the line. This is helpful when all stacks have evil ingredients and you’re not able to guarantee the right ingredients for an order.

To keep things interesting and have a high replay value, there are missions for players to complete, in addition to trying to win games. These may include things like “Create a yellow duplex potion,” “Win five games,” and more. They’re rather hard to accomplish and take some time to complete (you need to win a round for them to clear and get new ones), so it just keeps you coming back for more.

The makers of Card Thief and Card Crawl have a new card based challenge for you to play.

Miracle Merchant is definitely another mobile card game hit from Rauers. If you’re a fan of the other two games, then this one delivers more of that addictive card game challenge in a unique visual style. The rules are simple to learn but it takes a lot of planning and strategizing in order to win. It’s a challenging game with high replay value because of that.

Just like the other two games, winning in Miracle Merchant is not an easy task. Since the goal is to fulfill all orders while clearing out all of the cards, it requires planning ahead to succeed. This is not the type of game for those who just want to win all the time, and it even requires some patience until your first win.

As a big fan of Rauers’ other two card games, I am in love with what Miracle Merchant has to offer. The game shows off the distinctive visual style of the developer, and the sound design is well done. The tutorial explains all of the basics to you in a simple-to-understand manner, but the gameplay itself is challenging and requires some thought. There’s a ton of possible combinations of potions to discover and serve, and the goals keep everything fresh.

I’ve just started playing Miracle Merchant since it was released last night, but I’m having a hard time putting it down. It’s just that good.

I highly recommend grabbing Miracle Merchant if you’re a fan of Card Crawl, Card Thief, or just want some unique solitaire-style card game fun on your iOS device.

Miracle Merchant is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for $1.99. There are no in-app purchases.

9.4

OVERALL

Game Controls 10

Replayability 9

Graphics 9.5

Sound/Music 9

Gameplay 9.5

Miracle Merchant

Arnold Rauers

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Vista Golf’s Relaxing Courses are a Hole-In-One

August 02, 2017 by RSS Feed

Vista Golf (Free) by Shallot Games is an elegant mini golf game that’s sure to appeal to everyone. If you enjoy games like Super Stickman Golf 3 and OK Golf, then you will love Vista Golf.

While golf may be relaxing to some, it’s pretty boring for me, at least in real life. Personally, I much prefer mini golf because it’s more fun and easier for me to enjoy, especially with friends and family. However, I don’t go too often for mini golf, so it’s only an occasional thing I do. Fortunately, there are video games that simulate mini golf so I can enjoy it at my leisure. While my favorite golf games continue to be the Super Stickman Golf series from Noodlecake, I still enjoy finding new offerings on the App Store. Vista Golf is the latest one to catch my eye lately.

App Feels Like

Super Stickman Golf 3

Noodlecake Studios Inc

$2.99

OK Golf

Okidokico Entertainment Inc.

Vista Golf features a minimalist aesthetic with low-poly graphics that is sure to delight most people. In a way, the visuals remind me slightly of Horizon Chase, which I don’t think is a bad thing as it’s a modernized retro style. The courses appear simple and clean, with beautiful and serene landscapes that are lush and relaxing to gaze upon. The colors are bright and vivid, but shift to more muted tones as you putt in different locales. Animations are smooth and fluid with seamless transitioning and no lag. There’s a soothing, ambient soundtrack that immerses you into the world of virtual mini golf.

There are three difficulty levels in Vista Golf that players can select from the main screen. You can choose your difficulty level by dragging your finger left or right, or just use the arrow buttons. Each week, Vista Golf showcases one course for each difficulty level, so there’s three courses each week. These courses represent different locations from all over the globe, so you can experience lush tropics or snowy mountains while playing mini golf.

There’s also an infinite mode that lets you play as far as you want on a larger-than-life course that never ends. Regardless of how you want to play, both fun and frustration await you in Vista Golf. Plus, with new courses refreshed every week, there’s always new content to look forward to.

Controls in Vista Golf are super simple and incredibly intuitive. When the ball is still, there’s a circle that surrounds it. Just drag from within the circle to line up your shot and adjust the power of the hit. This is clearly indicated with the number (from zero to 100) that shows up under the arrow. To hit the ball, just release your finger. If you want to cancel, just get the number down to zero and then remove your finger from the screen.

Sometimes you will need to move the camera around to get a better view. This is done by dragging anywhere outside of the circle. You can also pinch to zoom in or out for a better look at the whole course.

If you ever need to undo a stroke, you’ll have to “rewind” and watch an ad to do so. But to make sure players don’t abuse this feature, you’re limited to two per course, so use them wisely.

Unless you’re playing the infinite mode, each course has a total of 18 holes for you to play through. Each hole has a par number, which is the number of strokes required to complete, usually, though you can always get less (better) or more (worse). By the 18th hole, your pars get tallied up and your score’s determined. The game features global leaderboards so you can keep trying to get a better rank. There’s also plenty of achievements to obtain.

A beautiful and minimalistic mini golf game.

Vista Golf is a fantastic mini golf experience on iOS. The low-poly design of the graphics is cute and quirky, while providing enough detail to create realistic courses. Vista Golf’s music is tranquil and calming, helping players focus on the courses and getting (hopefully) the fewest pars as possible. Having new courses each week means more reason to keep coming back to the game, and the controls are intuitive and responsive. And for those who truly want to relax, the infinite mode is excellent for doing just that.

While Vista Golf is an excellent free mini golf game, it is annoying that you have to watch an ad to use an undo. Also, I did notice while shooting the ball that the power levels may not always be accurate, so the physics in the game seem a bit off. For example, sometimes even a power of 20-30 causes me to overshoot, and something less ends up in an undershoot. It’s hard to predict where the ball ends up when hazards and obstacles are factored in, so hopefully that’s fixed in an update.

Vista Golf, despite the flaws in physics, is still enjoyable and downright fun entertainment. I love the minimal graphics because they still feel elegant and look great, the music is a delight, and the controls are simple to learn. Having new courses to look forward to each week means more reason to keep playing, plus infinite mode is a great way to relax. I just hope that the physics gets refined in an update to be more accurate and predictable.

I recommend giving Vista Golf a try if you’re looking for mini golf games. Vista Golf is available on the App Store as a universal download on your iPhone and iPad for free. There does not seem to be any in-app purchases, but ads are shown if you want to undo a shot.

8.4

OVERALL

Graphics 9

Sound/Music 9

Replayability 8

Game Controls 8

Gameplay 8

FREE

Vista Golf

Shallot Games, LLC.

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Enjoy a Meta RPG Experience in Galaxy of Pen & Paper

August 01, 2017 by RSS Feed

Galaxy of Pen & Paper ($4.99) by Behold Studios is a meta turn-based RPG about a group of people playing tabletop board games (think Dungeons & Dragons). If you enjoy RPGs or D&D, but wished for a touch of sci-fi fantasy, then Galaxy of Pen & Paper is for you. It’s the third installment of the Knights of Pen & Paper games.

Several years ago, I had a D&D group with some friends. We would get together every so often, about once a month, and hang out and play D&D or other tabletop RPGs together. I went through high school as a big RPG video game fan, so when I had the opportunity to play D&D, I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, our group disbanded due to location issues, and I haven’t played tabletop RPGs since. It’s a bit depressing, but that’s why I fell in love with the Knights of Pen & Paper games. They’re bite-size RPGs that mimic the experience of a D&D group, and are a perfect fit when I am lacking a real crew. When I saw Galaxy of Pen & Paper finally hit the App Store, I knew I had to check it out.

App Feels Like

Knights of Pen & Paper 2

Paradox Interactive AB

$4.99

Knights of Pen & Paper

Paradox North AB

Visually, Galaxy of Pen & Paper carries a retro pixelated art style, so it’s a nice homage to the classic games of yesteryear. Despite the pixel art, the game is pretty detailed when it comes to the various intergalactic environments, as well as the character appearances. Galaxy of Pen & Paper also makes use of bright and bold colors for almost everything, so it’s definitely eye catching. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no lag on my iPhone 7. The different customizations you can make for your Game Master and two characters are wide and varied, with enough options to satisfy most. There’s also a rocking sci-fi chiptune soundtrack to go along with everything, and it’s an absolute delight to hear. Like the other two games, Galaxy just fits like a glove in terms of visual and audio.

When you first start the game, you have the option to create a custom Game Master, who’s in charge of the narrative and combat scenes in the game. You can choose from different heads, body outfits, accessories, and chairs, all with a sci-fi motif (some are very recognizable).

Then you create two characters that will be role-playing, but the customization is a bit lackluster here. With these two characters, you can pick their class, race, and expertise area, but there are only about three options for each. If you were looking to create characters that look like your friends (as you could kind of do in the other games), then you’re out of luck. I wish that there was more customization options for the characters, as there seemed to be plenty for the Game Master.

Once your characters are made, the Game Master will kick off with the story. The plot unfolds through player choices, which determine the enemies you make and allies you gain. Whenever a point in the story has a decision, you get two options: one is usually a brute force kind of answer, and the other is more negotiable. Missions come up depending on the choices you make, and these have different goals, such as defeating a number of enemies or even going head-to-head in spaceship battles. There’s also a lot of exploration to do, so the variety is there.

Depending on what you chose during character customizations, each one has their own strengths and weaknesses in stats. The active and passive abilities are also dependent on the race, class, and expertise chosen. When you defeat enemies in battle, you gain some gold and experience points. As your party members level up, their stats grow and they’ll gain skill points. The skill points can be spent on stronger skills and abilities that will aid you in battle.

The cool thing about Galaxy of Pen & Paper is the fact that you mostly control the game through the Game Master. This means you decide when battles happen, or you can advance the story. When you must defeat a certain number of enemies, you can break it up into multiple fights so it’s not too overwhelming. You can also take a break every now and then to restock on items with the shop.

Much of Galaxy of Pen & Paper’s controls are through taps in menus. During combat, you’ll see a bar at the top that shows the turn order. When it’s your team’s turn, you’ll see the character highlighted and selected, along with a bar that shows their available actions. You can always perform a basic attack, but you need SP for special abilities. If you are low on health or SP, use an item on yourself or a teammate to restore their resources. To attack or support, just tap on the skill or item you want to use, and then tap on your target. The controls are easy enough and intuitive so anyone can pick it up quickly.

There’s a lot of content to go through in Galaxy of Pen & Paper, so this is a title that will provide you with hours of good and fun entertainment.

A meta turn based RPG that lets you play as a group playing a dice based RPG.

Galaxy of Pen & Paper is humorous with the characters and story, which will provide players with a ton of content for hours on end. The game’s graphics are also a great tribute to vintage games thanks to the pixel art style, and the chiptune soundtrack is fun to hear as you play. It’s awesome being able to control the flow of the game, since you can choose when to enter combat, proceed with the plot, make tough or humorous choices, or take a break and stock up on items with your spoils from battle.

While there is some customization in terms of character appearances, there isn’t as much as I would have liked to see. I would have preferred to fully create my own custom Game Master as well as role players, so that they could at least look a bit like my friends and family. I would have also preferred to do manual dice rolls, just so the game could feel more authentic.

Also, according to iTunes reviews, the game seems to be somewhat buggy, so hopefully the developers work on fixing those up. And unlike the previous two games, there is no way to play Galaxy of Pen & Paper in portrait orientation.

While Galaxy of Pen & Paper does have some flaws in terms of customization options, it’s still an enjoyable game. I love the pixel art style and the chiptunes are fantastic. There is plenty of content in the game to go through, so this is a title I’ll be playing for a while. The dialogue is humorous, the battle system is fairly streamlined, and it’s overall quite challenging.

I’d recommend giving Galaxy of Pen & Paper a try if you’re into D&D or role-playing games in general. You can find Galaxy of Pen & Paper on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for $4.99. The developers have promised no-in app purchases and the game will be premium forever.

9.0

OVERALL

Graphics 10

Replayability 9

Game Controls 9

Sound/Music 9

Gameplay 8

$4.99

Galaxy of Pen & Paper

Behold Studios Jogos Eletronicos LTDA ME

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Move With the Flow in the Puzzling Linelight

July 28, 2017 by RSS Feed

Linelight ($1.99) by BT Productions is a minimalist puzzle game that challenges and soothes you at the same time. If you enjoyed recent titles like Resynth and Stolen Thunder, then you will love what Linelight brings to iOS.

When I want to relax, I usually turn to puzzles to clear my head. Whether it’s a match-three RPG like Match Land or a mystery that needs to be solved like Layton’s Mystery Journey, I love them all. Even though I need to unwind, I prefer to keep my brain going with some stimulation, so puzzles always end up being my go-to.

When I first saw Linelight at GDC last year, I fell in love with it immediately. I spent a good amount of time on the demo, and after I decided to move on to something else, I knew this was a game I wanted on mobile. It was perfect. And to my surprise this week, it’s finally here.

App Feels Like

Resynth

Polyphonic Lp Pty Ltd

Stolen Thunder - A Unique Action Puzzle Adventure

Jason Nowak

Visually, Linelight’s incredibly minimalistic, yet super elegant. The game consists of gorgeous gradient backdrops that represent deep space, along with simple and clean lines and shapes. Honestly, it’s sounds so basic but it’s done so well that it’s beautiful to look at. There’s also mesmerizing particle effects that happen when you get fried, or when an enemy dies, and even as you move to the next area. All animations are super smooth and fluid, with no lag issues on my iPhone 7. Linelight also has a soothing, ambient soundtrack that is a delight to listen to, and it’s integral to the overall experience.

There are six worlds in Linelight, and they’re simply labeled as “a,” “b,” and “c.” Each one contains a series of stages that players must traverse through and clear before moving on. However, what makes Linelight so special is the fact that each section of the puzzle seamlessly transitions into the next, so it feels like one huge puzzle.

If you access the game menu and choose “level select,” you can see pulsating circles that represent the official start of a new stage. This is also a good way to preview how much of a world you have left.

The goal in Linelight is to help a single beam of light travel along pipe-like structures safely while avoiding hazards and enemies. The only interaction in Linelight is movement, and you do this by dragging your finger on the screen to direct the light on where to go. When you lift your finger off the screen, it stops. The levels have been tweaked so that mobile controls work flawless, and it shows.

In order to safely guide the light beam, you have to time your movements carefully. This is because you may need to toggle switches to move colored pipes around, gather keys to access locked sectors, and more, all while avoiding the red patrols. There are bonus orange diamonds to collect too, and they’re just part of the puzzle. If you die, there’s no penalty — just tap on the screen to try again.

While Linelight looks easy on the surface, the puzzles get progressively more difficult as you go. There’ll be multiple enemies to worry about at once, multiple colored pipe switches, gates, and more. It’s soothing, but also challenging at the same time.

Linelight is puzzle perfection.

Linelight is beautifully crafted and a must for any puzzle fan. The game looks fantastic with the minimal aesthetic, and the music is a joy to hear. The one finger control makes the game accessible to anyone, and it’s super easy to pick up. Compared to a gamepad (as I did with the GDC demo), the touch controls feel more intuitive. Linelight’s puzzles can be deceptively challenging, but it’s always welcome for me. And since there’s no penalty for deaths and plenty of secrets to find, there’s plenty of replay value.

Honestly, there isn’t much about Linelight that isn’t likable. Unless you just dislike all puzzle games for no reason, Linelight is pretty much perfection. If anything, I do wish that it was possible to select a specific section to replay, because the level select only shows off the start of stages.

When I first saw Linelight at GDC, I was intrigued. The moment I picked up the controller and played it, I fell in love. Now that it’s on iOS, I am in love yet again. The game is pretty much perfect with the exquisite design, calming music, and the controls work out nicely. I was a bit worried about how the control scheme would translate to mobile, but it just feels natural. The puzzles are fun, addictive, and more challenging as you advance. There is a ton of content and replay value, so you are getting your money’s worth here.

I highly recommend Linelight to anyone who wants a relaxing and seamless puzzle game. Linelight is available on the App Store as a universal download for $1.99.

9.8

OVERALL

Replayability 10

Game Controls 10

Sound/Music 10

Gameplay 10

Graphics 9

Linelight

BT Productions

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Layton’s Mystery Journey is Delightfully Charming

July 27, 2017 by RSS Feed

Layton’s Mystery Journey ($15.99) by Level-5 is the latest game in the Layton series, which is also just in time for the 10th anniversary of the franchise. If you love a good hidden object puzzle game, then Layton’s Mystery Journey is one you must check out. This installment came out on iOS and Android last week, with a Nintendo 3DS version later this fall.

While I doubt that I’ll ever be good enough to be a real detective, I enjoy a good mystery that gets my head gears turning. Fortunately, I can play the part of a detective without any special training thanks to video games, which is why I was drawn in to Layton’s Mystery Journey. To be honest though, I haven’t played any previous Professor Layton games, so this is my first foray into the franchise. I’m a big puzzle fan, so it’s always been a game series I’ve wanted to check out, but never got around to it. Now that a full Layton game is on iOS, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to give the game a spin.

App Feels Like

LAYTON BROTHERS MYSTERY ROOM

Level-5 Inc.

$15.99

Layton’s Mystery Journey

Level-5 Inc.

Visually, Layton’s Mystery Journey fits in with the other games because of the cartoonish art style. Throughout the game, players will find lively character sprites that appear as though they came out of an old-school anime series, like Lupin the 3rd. Everyone has their own unique appearances, personalities, and quirks, which you’ll grow to love the more you play. Colors in Layton’s Mystery Journey are bright and vibrant, with lush and detailed environments. There are also fully animated cutscenes that play out and reveal the story, which are fun to watch. A subtle, soothing soundtrack plays in the background, and there are delightful sound effects as you move around the city, talk to characters, and explore for clues.

In Layton’s Mystery Journey, rather than taking on the role of Professor Layton, players are introduced to a new character, Katrielle Layton. She’s just starting out on her detective career, and gets slammed with several interesting cases to take on all at once. But don’t be distracted by the little things — the bigger case reveals itself, and it ends up being the search for her missing father, Professor Hershel Layton. There will be a lot of searching for hidden objects and clues, and many puzzles await players as they try and solve the case.

For those who have never played a Layton game before, the controls are pretty easy to learn and feel intuitive on the touch screen. To view the map of the city, tap on the “Return to Map” button, and then you’re able to tap on the orange circles to travel to that area.

When you enter a scene, you’re able to move a magnifying glass around by sliding your finger. When there’s something that you can investigate further, it will turn orange and you can tap it. If you’re able to zoom in on a particular spot, the magnifying glass has a plus (+) symbol that you can tap on and get a better view. Sometimes the magnifying glass will find a spot that has puffs of dust — this means there’s an object for you there, such as a hint coin (for puzzles) or a collectible item that isn’t related to the case at hand.

There’s a lot of reading involved with Layton’s Mystery Journey, as with any Layton game. It’s important to read the dialogue between characters, because this is where you get big clues to solve a case. When a key clue’s revealed, Katrielle gets a “clue piece” that you’ll need to fit properly into a shape. There are always six major clues that you need before you solve a case.

Sometimes as you examine scenes, you’ll discover puzzles related to the case. Each puzzle is worth a certain number of points, which get tallied up into your total. The number of points drops slightly if you’re unsuccessful and keep reattempting to solve it. Controls for each puzzle vary slightly, but it usually involves tapping switches, rotating and moving pieces around, or even answering riddles. There’s a lot of variety to the types of puzzles in Layton’s Mystery Journey, but they’re all bound to get your brain into high gear.

Layton’s Mystery Journey has support for up to three game saves, and you must manually save if you care about keeping your progress in tact. Fortunately, the game’s menu is easily accessible at any time, and this is where you can view case files, collectibles, change outfits, and other things in Katrielle’s purse.

Layton's Mystery Journey is a delightful hidden object puzzle game that will charm anyone.

Layton’s Mystery Journey has an engrossing storyline that is sure to hook anyone, even newbies, right from the start. The graphics are sharp and crisp with the anime style, and the sound design is great. Controls are simple and easy for anyone to learn. The puzzles are pretty challenging and will provide players with plenty of entertainment for hours. Plus, there are daily puzzles for those who want extra goodies and other mini-games.

While Layton’s Mystery Journey is incredibly good, it isn’t for everyone. If you don’t like tricky puzzles or get frustrated easily, then this game may not be for you. There is also a lot of text involved. Also, the price point seems a bit high for an iOS game, considering that this will also be available on the Nintendo 3DS later this year. With a price like this, some may think it’s better waiting for the 3DS version.

Since this is my first Layton game, I do not have previous knowledge of the series before I dove into this one. However, as a complete newbie, I’m enjoying it highly so far. The puzzles are a bit tricky but do make me think. The visual style and animations look fantastic. Even as a newcomer, I’m finding the characters to be full of fun and charm. I found the story captivating and immersive from the get-go too, which doesn’t always happen.

I highly recommend giving Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionares’ Conspiracy a try if you’re looking for a lengthy mystery puzzle game. Layton’s Mystery Journey is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for $15.99. The game is also coming to Nintendo 3DS in the fall.

9.2

OVERALL

Graphics 10

Replayability 9

Game Controls 9

Sound/Music 9

Gameplay 9

$15.99

Layton’s Mystery Journey

Level-5 Inc.

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